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Vestments in Church – why?
A church member said that she had been has the purpose to services for over 50 years but never been of covering the told the meaning of a priest wearing special everyday robes. And others said that they didn’t clothing, even if it realise the significance when we talked is the priest's about it at the Thursday morning Eucharist. clerical garb. Scriptural So why vest? It is worth saying that a priest Reference: The can celebrate the Eucharist whatever they amice is are wearing. It isn’t essential, and we don’t understood as do a formal robing ceremony at All Saints, "the helmet of salvation," (Eph 6:17) that but it does have value and is often in our must protect its wearer from temptation, minds as we prepare. especially evil thoughts and desires, during the celebration. They can be helpful because Prayer: While putting it on the priest recites 1. It helps one to be detached from the following prayer: "Place upon me, O everyday concerns (since they are not worn Lord, the helmet of salvation, that I may in ordinary activities). overcome the assaults of the devil”.
2. It puts aside the individuality of the one 3) THE ALB who wears them in order to emphasize their liturgical role. Definition: It is the long white garment 3. It is a statement that the liturgy is worn by the sacred celebrated "in persona Christi" and not in ministers, which the priest's own name. recalls the new and immaculate The Vestments and the Prayers clothing that every Christian has 1) WASHING OF HANDS: Before vesting received through proper, the priest washed their hands not baptism. only for hygienic purpose, but a signification of the passage from the profane to the Scriptural sacred. Reference: The alb (from latin, albus = Scriptural Reference: Washing the Hands is white) is a symbol equivalent to removing the sandals before of the sanctifying the burning bush (cf. Exodus 3:5). grace received in the first sacrament Prayer: "Give virtue to my hands, O Lord, and is also that being cleansed from all stain I might considered to be a serve you with purity of mind and body”. symbol of the purity of heart that is necessary to enter into the joy of the eternal 2) THE AMICE vision of God in heaven (cf. Matt 5:8).
Definition: The amice is a rectangular linen Prayer : The prayer refers to Revelation 7:14: cloth, which has two strings and is placed "Cleanse my heart, O Lord; that being over the shoulders and around the neck; washed in the Blood of the Lamb I may the strings are then tied about the waist. It deserve an eternal reward”.
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4) THE CINCTURE Prayer and Scriptural Definition: Over the alb References: and around the waist is Based on Col placed the girdle or 3:14 and Mt, cincture, a cord made of 11:30: "O Lord, wool or other suitable who has said, material that is used as a "My yoke is belt. sweet and My burden light," Scriptural reference: The grant that I may cincture represents the so carry it as to virtue of self-mastery, merit Thy grace. which St. Paul also counts among the fruits of the Spirit (cf. Galatians 5:22). Conclusion
Prayer: It is based on 1Peter 1:13. " Gird me, While it is possible to use different prayers, or O Lord, with the cincture of purity, that the simply to lift one's mind up to God, virtues of continence and chastity may nevertheless the texts of the vesting prayers abide in me”. are brief, inspired by a biblical spirituality and have been prayed for centuries by 5) THE STOLE countless sacred ministers. By vesting properly, a priest prepares physically, Definition: It is the psychologically, and spiritually for the distinctive element of sanctity of the mystery that will unfold, in a the vestment of the holy ceremony which brings God’s grace ordained minister and assurance of salvation to all who share and it is always worn in the Eucharist. in the celebration of the sacraments. It is a strip of material that is embroidered, whose colour varies with respect to the liturgical season or feast day. Together with the cincture, the stole symbolizes the bonds and fetters with which Jesus was bound during his Passion.
Prayer: "Lord, restore the stole of immortality, which I lost through the collusion of our first parents, and, unworthy as I am to approach Thy sacred mysteries, may I yet gain eternal joy”.
6) CHASUBLE Definition: It is the outer vestment proper to the one who celebrates the Holy Mass. It is called "casulla" in Spanish.